In heavy-duty motor vehicles, particularly in heavy-duty trucks, multi-disc clutch units are used for connecting and disconnecting the output shaft of an engine and the input shaft of a gear box. These multi-disc clutch units comprise between the fly-wheel of the engine and a clutch cover fixed thereto a pressure plate and at least one intermediate plate. On both sides of said intermediate plate there is provided one clutch disc. A main spring urges the pressure plate towards the fly-wheel such that the clutch discs are in frictional engagement with the pressure plate, the intermediate plate and the fly-wheel. On disengagement of the clutch a lifting movement of the pressure plate and the intermediate plate away from the fly-wheel is wanted in order to liberate the clutch discs from frictional engagement with the adjacent members. For effecting the lifting movement of the intermediate plate a release spring is provided. The lifting movement of the intermediate plate is controlled such that the lifting movement of the intermediate plate is smaller than the lifting movement of the pressure plate. The control of the lifting movement is obtained by supporting the intermediate plate on a counter support member movable in response to the disengagement action.